How To Beat Depression & Anxiety

What you need to know about these two common conditions

While depression and anxiety are different conditions, it is not uncommon for them to occur at the same time. As we observe World Mental Health Day on October 10, we’ve put together this health guide to look at what you need to know about these conditions, symptoms to look for, where to go for help, and what you can do to help yourself.

ARE YOU DEPRESSED?

We all experience a low mood at times, but for some people it persists for weeks, months or even years

Know The Signs

If you’ve felt miserable or flat most of the time, and/or lost interest in normal activities, and this has lasted for more than two weeks, you may be experiencing depression.

Common Symptoms

Feeling extremely sad or tearful

Feeling emotionally flat or numb

Disturbances to normal sleep patterns

Loss of interest or motivation

Feeling worthless or guilty

Loss of pleasure in activities

Anxiety

Changes in appetite or weight

Loss of sexual interest

Physical aches and pains

Impaired thinking or concentration

Less Typical Symptoms

Depression that lifts in response to good news or positive events.

Increased appetite

Increased desire to sleep, usually for more than 10 hours a day

Heavy, leaden feeling in arms or legs that lasts an hour or more in a day – a feeling that is different from fatigue

Sensitivity to rejection or criticism

Insomnia

Disordered eating, such as bulimia, bingeing or extreme food restrictions

Poor body image and fear of being fat

Headaches and other aches and pains

What Leads To Depression?